Body center plate for railway vehicles



Aug. 18, 1931. J. A. SHAFER BODY CENTER PLATE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLESOriginal Filed Feb. 8, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l anvewtoz J. A. SHAFER BODYCENTER PLATE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed 8. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet2 avwemtoz Ya mes a! Slim er @513 113A 61 i 1 Patented Aug. 18, 1931UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES A. SHAFEB, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO,ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL MALLEABLE AND STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND,OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO BODY CENTER PLATE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLESApplication filed February 8, 1928, Seria1 No..252,696. Renewed .Tuly 1,1931.

My invention relates to body center plates and is in particularadaptedto obviate the obj ections now found in the standard AmericanRailway Association body center plate which is now in common use. Suchstandard centerplates are found almost invariably to have their flanges,by which they are secured to the car bolsters, cracked or brokenoif inservice. This isdue to an inherent weakness 1 in the body bolster,since, regardless of the care with which the bolster is built up andriveted together, there is a marked tendency for the bolster tie plateand the flanges of the center sills to deflect upwardly at the center,between the vertical webs of the center sills. Due to the 12% A. R. A.spacing of the center sills and the 11% A; R. A. di-

ameter of the center plate bowl, the flanges are the only part ofthecenter plate to bridge over the weak portion of the bolster and resistthis deflection. As a result of the upward deflection of the flanges ofthe sills and the 'tie plate above the bowl of the center plate theflanges of the center plate must be 26 correspondingly deflecteddownwardly, with resulting failure of such flanges. Nor can thediflicultybe corrected either by enlarging the diameter of the centerplate body portion or by increasing the thickness of the flanges,

so since the presentA. RA. requirements and the necessaryclearancesprevent such increases. With such limitations, the flanges,are of practically. no value in reinforcing the bolster.

In my improved construction I have eliminated center plate flanges andhave provided other means for securing the bowl of the center plate tothe bolster, and have thus obviated the difliculties referred to above.

My invention also comprises various features position which it could notactually. occupy,

because, as is shown in Fig. 2, thevertical transverse web of the centerfiller would interfere therewith; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectlon takenon the line 11-11 of Fig. 1,

but showing the center plate securing rivet in true position; Flg. 3 1sa'partial section similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modification of myinvention; Fig. 4 is a section thereof forcing webs 4, center sillcoverplate'5,

bolster cover plate 6, and bolster tie plate 7.

"Immediately beneath the tie plate 7 is the bolstercenter plate 8, whichhas a body of the usual A. R. A. dimensions but is without the usualflanges. The bolster center plate 8 is supported by the truck centerplate 9, and

both plates 8 and 9 are apertured for the usual center pin 10, which isheld in position by the center pin key 11. The bolster center plate 8 issecured to the bolsterby means of projections 12, of which there. arepreferably two, which extend through apertures 13 in the tie plate 7 andengage the under faces of the inwardly directed flanges 3 of the centersills 2. .The projections 12 are of substantial character and of asufficient diameter to have a greater shear value than the rivets bywhich the usual type of center plate flanges are secured to the bolster.

The center plate 8, its projections 12, and

p the sill flanges 3 are apertured for reception of rivets 14, the heads15 of which are made flush with the under surface 16 of the plate 8,thus anchoring the projections 12 in the tie plate 7 If desired, theprojections 12 may be eliminated, and the rivets 14 be relied upon totake all of the shear between the center plate and bolster. In thiscaseit would be preferable toincrease the number of rivets 14;, so as tohave an equal shear value to the structure shown, spacing the rivetsequally around the circumference of the center plate bowl.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a modified form of my invention, in whichthe projections 22 on the center plate 28 are solid and extend upwardlynot only through the tie plate 23 but also through the sill flanges 24,and are secured solidly in position by heavy cotter keys 25, the ends ofwhich pass through recessed walls 26 of the bolster center filler 27,thus obviating the necessity of using rivets for securing the bolstercenter plate in position.

' In Fig. 5 is illustrated another modification of the center platesecuring means in Which such means includes a countersunk headed pin 32secured in position by means of a cotter key 35' bearing upon thebolster center filler 37 In Fig. 6' is shown still a furthermodification of my invention, in which the bolster center plate is heldin positionby means of a collar 41 forged on the center pin 42 seatingin a central recess 43 in the under side of the plate lt.

The arrangement of Fig. 7 is a modification of Fig. 6, the forgedfcollarof Fig. 6 being replaced by a collar 51 in the form of a split ringwhich fits intoa recess in the center pin 52.

It will be seen tha-tall of the various forms of my improved centerplate except that shown in Figs. 3. and 4 may be employed asreplacements with existing equipment, since the diameterand thickness ofmy improved plate are the same as those of the body portion of thestandard bolster center plate and the projections on the plateandsecuring means may be applied without. difiiculty thereto. Where myinvention is applied to cars having bent or broken center plates, it maybe desirable to provide the upper surface of my. improved plate witha'slight camber to conform to the bent bolster tie late and thus ensurea full bearing between the two elements.

Not only is my improved plate of great advantage in eliminatingbreakages, but it weighs approximately fifty per cent. liessthan thestandard plate and thus its use saves about one hundred pounds per car.It hasthe further advantage of eliminating interference between thecircumferential flange 17 of the truck center plate 9- and the usualbody center plate flange, and of permitting the oiling of the centerplates, if desired, which is virtually an impossibility with thestandard: construction, because of the almost negligible clearancebetween the flanges of the two plates.

j The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the useof such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalentsof the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognizethat various structural modifications are possible within the scope ofthe invention claimed.

Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a.bolster center plate, the bolster comprising flanged center sills and atie plate, the center plate having upward projections extending intorecesses in the tie plate and having a bear-ing on the center sills and.securing means, for holding the projections in the recesses and thecenter plate rigidly to the bolster.

2. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with abolster'center plate, the bolster comprising flanged center sills and atie plate, the center plate having apertured upper projections extendingthrough said tie plate and engaging the center sills, and securing meansextending through said center plate, projections, tie plate and centersills for holding bolster and center plate rigidly together.

3. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a bolstercenter plate, the bolster comprising flanged center sills and a tieplate, the center plate having upward projections at the outer edgethereof, said projections extending through said tie plate and engagingthe center sills, and securing means cooperable with said projectionsfor holding the bolster and center plate rigidly together.

4". The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with abolster center plate, the latter having an upwardly extending an-'nular. rib at the outward extremity thereof and means connected withsaid' rib for holding the bolster and center plate rigidly together.

5. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a bolstercenter plate, the bolster comprising flanged center sills and a tieplate, the center plate having a ertured projections on its upper sideexten ing through said tie plate and securing meanscooperable with saidprojections for holding the center plate and bolster permanentlytogether.

6. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a bolstercenter plate having a body of standard A. R. A. formation, the bodyportion of said center plate being below the center sills, and securingmeans extending through said body and a portion of said body bolster forholding said center plate rigidly to said bolster.

. 7; The combination of a body bolster ofa railway vehicle with. abolster center plate having a body of standard A. R. A. formafrom saidbody within the periphery thereof and into recesses in said bolster andsecuring 7 means extending through said body and a portion of said bodybolster for holding said 5 center plate rigidly to said bolster.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this3rd day of February, 1928.

JAMES A. SHAFER.

